I have come to believe that general middle class Americans are not satisfied with the economy because the measuring stick is celebrity culture and specifically how celebrities live. We are hypnotized into a world that does not exist for the vast majority of population but less than that and we've been cheated.
I have come to believe that general middle class Americans are not satisfied with the economy because the measuring stick is celebrity culture and specifically how celebrities live. We are hypnotized into a world that does not exist for the vast majority of population but less than that and we've been cheated.
I think that is true but I am also so fed up with the double standard of how the MSM reports on Harris vs. Traamp and it was the same when Biden was still in the running. They poison the opinions of people and have normalized his horrible behavior.
Sorry I disagree. We need the MSM because the people who we need to reach read our watch the MSM. They do not read Heather's column or any of the other liberal Substack pages that we Harros supporters read. Here we are preaching to the choir and by denigrating the MSM instead of trying to gain is support we really don't reach anyone we need.
Kamala's alt-media blitz this week has been brilliant! I am so pleased with this tactic. It seems she has reached a few million citizens, while He-who-shall-not-be named dithers in public appearances.
Still, over the last tumultuous decade, the MSM lost its way and is in the process of re-establishing its sea-legs тАФ while scrambling to figure out how to finance it. The news business is in crisis, one not experienced since the old тАЬyellow journalismтАЭ days. The industry needs to right itself, needs news consumersтАЩ help to find its way back: A robust democracy cannot exist without healthy, trusted news sources.
I am not saying they are not needed. What I am saying is that while the former president and his running mate spread lies, spread division, spread racism etc., the MSM doesn't really cover the gravity of their statements nor do they demand detailed plans from him. Instead they sane wash his statements and normalize his behaviors. I am just suggesting the same treatment.
I agree 100%. I only read here this s all group applauding each other to go out and vote as if it was going to make any significant impact. I was interested reaching out to go to eastern Pennsylvania to work on Election Day from CT but instead I will go to Washington for a few days including election day, to sit in front of the White House , perform my anti trump songs and sell my remaining supply of my book. Should be get in, IтАЩll order more books and have 4 more years to enlighten the blind.
You don't need to be the candidate to have an interview. Pete represents the democratic point of view. It doesn't really manner who goes on FOX as long as our message is conveyed. Kamala did go on FOX for an interview not long ago.
MSM are not relevent in reaching potential Harris voters. She knows this and ignores them which pisses them off. Her alt media appearances were brilliant.
I respectfully think you are VERY wrong here. If you are correct then there is nothing sensible to do. Until this week (when I think she did much better) she had completely ignored the MSM and that is where MOST of the undecided voters are. Writing those people off is tantamount to saying we don't need any more votes. And yet we absolutely do. I expect the money of undecided voters who read Heather is about .05% and most of those are people who might not vote for Harris because of her position on the Gaza War who aren't voting for Trump either. The ones we need to win in all the swing states definitely DO read the MSM.
I agree, Collette, although I'm not sure about the "poisoning" unless you refer specifically to Faux News and not MSM in general.
There is an imbalance in how MSM covers the two candidates (and their running mates.) I gave up my NYT subscription months ago and told them exactly why (I received a lengthy response from them defending their coverage ) I still subscribe to the WaPo, but probably not for much longer. I support the Guardian and follow the BBC, and though I don't rely on NPR as much anymore, still read and listen occasionally. American legacy MSM in general has let us down, and I don't understand why, as it's clearly against their best long-term interests if Harris loses.
I think you hit the nail on the head: "long-term interests". Is anyone out there even discussing long-term repercussions? We are stuck in this horse race mentality and discussing polls. Who is even participating in these polls? I know I am not. I can't be bothered and don't want my data gathered.
I am very surprised that you gave up on the NYT but kept the WaPo the latter of which I used to respect but no longer. They are far worse with their reporting than the Times, at least IMHO.
Jon, it was the opinion pieces by the NYT Editorial Board saying Biden should withdraw from the race due to age, without also saying trompy should due to, oh, I don't know тАФ age, incoherence, criminal record, keeping of official classified records, bribery, anti-democratic/authoritarian yearnings, etc. etc. I've enjoyed the NYT, beyond its news content тАФ the puzzles are the best; I love and subscribed to NYT Cooking, Wirecutter and more. Hated to give that up but that piece was the proverbial straw. WaPo subscription will be going after the election is over.
The NYT only took that position after Biden totally blew the first debate. It was not because of age, it was because he clearly had a serious cognitive problem or at least what looked like a cognitive problem during the debate. He was so confused it was incredibly disastrous. If he had not been chased or, we would not be in a razor close toss up, Biden would be wiped out by 10+ pts. I predicted that from watching him closely before the debate but hoped i was wrong. I don't know what would have been better, waiting as he did or dropping out much earlier. But that is water under the bridge, can't change it now.
Jon, the debate was a singularly catastrophic event, likely dooming his chances (of which I was more optimistic than you, at least prior to the debate. His SotU speech was Biden at his best.) In any event, my point was that the NYT should have at the same time called for both candidates to withdraw, given what we've known about the other guyтАЩs past legal and moral (and other) problems, but also his own cognitive issues which we've all been aware of for some time. And that's what I wrote the NYT: Use the same standards for both candidates, which they didn't do. Anyway, as you say, it's water... Cheers and hopes for a happy November!
Yes he melted down in front of the cameras and right on time, Trump took full advantage and said, тАЬI donтАЩt know what he just said.тАЭ Omg what a bad moment.
Colette, the biased stories about the economy continue, much to my frustration and some how reporters always find the guy on the street who back up the story.
The coverage of person on the street really is very imbalanced, even on NPR. I regularly send comments about this and find I have less trust in NPR now. I wonder if their corporate donors are the reason for this.
I don't know what NPR you are watching but the nightly PBS news has been extremely balanced. They have continually reported on the positive economic news and they have called trump out on his lies often. They have criticized Harris for not talking more to the MSM and i agree with that criticism.
I agree Rosa, our preoccupation with celebrity and wealth is unhealthy. Not everyone who loves to sing can or will become a rock star. and many who do aren't happy, if they were truly happy they wouldn't be consuming harmful chemicals to ease their emotional fear and pain.
Celebrity is a stressful, rocky world in any case. Cher put it aptly, You're only as good as your last performance... maybe oversimplified, given how often movie actors manage to work through less than stellar products
тАЬIf youтАЩre black in this country, if youтАЩre a woman in this country, if you are any minority in this country at all, what could possibly possess you to vote Republican?тАЭ
I have wondered the same тАФ why Hispanics in particular would vote for someone who is so anti- immigrant. I have decided it must be because they are evangelical, and/or they are against new Hispanics or other immigrants coming in illegally.
Frank, there are at least 2 "stellar projects" completed & receiving pre-release screenings for Oscar consideration.
I don't have the U.S. release date but Kate Winslet's "LEE" is already getting raves. It's a bio about a famous female WWII photo journalist directed by a woman, ELLEN KURAS.
Update: The film was released in the U.K. & Island on 9/13/24. Apparently, streaming now on Apple TV. Well received at the Toronto Film Festival in Canada.
My sister tells me the people in her office sign up for Netflix, Max, Apple, Paramount+, Disney, etc. when they are ready to stream several shows. And then they cancel after a month or two and go on to the next service.
I'm too lazy to do that, but hey, it's not illegal.
The short answer is simpler. Taxation policy on top management levels and corporation taxation, read the Economic Policy Institute. For example, as I've already posted, https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-pay-in-2023/
I notice that the solutions the EPI might be suggesting are kept well out of the light by the Harris - Walz ticket. For one very good reason, I suspect: the emotionally laden charge of "socialism" ... it's already been thrown at the dems like a meat pie. Heather is so right when she suggests the electorate overall has internalized fears against a redistribution of wealth back into the hands of the broad middle and lower income earning classes. That of course will simply redefine demand, and businesses will continue to prosper.
Our "educated," Rose, have zero education in anything that reports on "the vast majority."
The novels, histories, memoirs, films, and songs are there -- many super fine. But it was always first goal of the Powell memo (1971) to kill humanities in American ed. School would never again relate to anything personal for anyone across the land.
Rather, our "educated" would all speak wonk. Numbers. Stats. Life as nothing more than units in the packaged forms of commerce which our nihilist rich would master, own, they forever after all on the safe side of the ever-growing wealth gap from where the masses and "less-educated" who lost their jobs to the offshoring would forever be consigned.
The war on education continues Phil. DeSantis is leading the charge by rewriting textbooks to allow for learning how to read and write and nothing about our history or critical thinking. Banning books must start with the Bible which is full of hate and vengeance. In our house, we love banned books. My daughter and wife used to read them together and now my wife and I listen to them.
I'm not sure if this is true, but I heard the other day the Trump Bible, which he's hawked as containing the US Constitution only includes the first 13 amendments. WTF point is there in doing that unless the Christian Nationalists had a hand in this.
Jon, I am against banning books. I am also against having religion force-fed to me, and to any children attending public school. As a non-theist, I also find the Bible irrelevant to me, but I must know about it because it drives so many people to do what they do. That two different someones can condemn gays or welcome them based on what they read in it leads me to believe that it is all about interpretation, thus making it more like fiction or poetry than the word of "God" as scribed by men.
Thank you, Ally House. As a Christian, I think you've expressed this perfectly. Your last phrase says it all - "as scribed by men". I've believed for decades that once humans were introduced into the equation, it became all about interpretation.
When we talk of the Bible, which Bible are we talking about? The King James version? The original Hebrew and Aramaic of the Tanach (not the Old Testament, at least not to Jews)? The original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek of the Christian Bible? The myriad translations, all with their subtle points of view and sometimes not so subtle agendas? I am learning to chant from the Torah, and when we look at the translations and at the original Hebrew and Aramaic, it's an interesting process to figure out what's going on. A lot of what fundamentalists thunder about as the word of God is based on a misunderstanding of the original.
To me, the Bible is more like mythology with stories handed down by word of mouth until someone wrote them down. Many of the stories are similar to Greek, Roman and Norse mythology. Almost every civilization has a giant flood story and so on. They may all be true or they may all be exaggerations. But we've all heard many of them.
I've worked with many Indians that practice Hinduism. Their stories seem rather fantastic, but if you've heard them since you were little, they probably seem as real as the Bible stories I was told as long as I remember.
Humans love stories and the Bible has some good ones, but it also contains a lot of garbage in my opinion.
No, I'm not advocating banning the Bible or any books.
We probably have a dozen Bibles in our house and I have read the Bible cover to cover more than once. And I am a non-theist.
I am also opposed to allowing white Christian Nationaliststs from editing text books or curriculum.
One of the most influential books for me was one of the most banned books of all time - Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 5. By banning this book, it has likely driven millions of people to read it which is obviously an unintended consequence of book banning.
Would I like to see Trump and his MAGA friends censored? Sure. But, to what end? Assuming he loses the election, the media will still report on his incoherent and looney ramblings because they are greedy bastards.
I like to believe I live my life according to the teachings of Jesus Christ because I feel his values and morals align more with mine. But many other characters in the Bible, like Paul are misogynistic and believe that women are basically the property of men. In other words, they are patriarchal.
Long answer to your question, but NO I am against censorship in all forms.
Your comment that the bible is "full of hate and vengeance" and the replies, tell me that the bible and probably other religious texts are sadly misrepresented in popular culture.
There were classes in the bible as literature when I was in college, but I suppose that didn't happen in much of the country. It certainly should have been part of a real understanding of critical thinking.
"The Bible" does not really exist as most of this discussion posits it. There is no one, authoritative version of the Jewish and Christian sacraments. There is no "original" version; paper doesn't last that long. But most importantly the writings of the bible are a collection, not a book. A collection that was chosen by committee and then revised by committee a few hundred years later. A collection that was hand copied with comments and "corrections" added for centuries before printing was developed.
To read any version of the bible today as you would read a modern book is ridiculous if not criminal.
If you will read the book of Genesis, you can easily see that there are two different creation stories crammed together there. Both were considered too important to leave out, so they just put them both in. Genesis 1 tells one story and Genesis 2 tells a different story.
It's like a giant game of "telephone" , from many oral transmissions to many written transmissions, to translations to codification to more translations, etc.
The 14th Amendment, section three, specifically calls for the removal from ballots for public office of any insurrectionists. That would obviously include the fat orange felon.
Too bad (for us) that the Clarence court refuses to abide by the Constitution, but only promotes its medieval lunacies instead.
Phil trump had not even been legally accused of insurrection let alone convicted of it. Until then I don't believe the 14th amendment even applies. Is this a miscarriage? IMHO absolutely but in practice neither my opinions nor yours matter to the law. Even Lawrence Tribe's opinions don't matter. The only thing that matters is actual charges brought and actual verdicts. That's why I think Merrick Garland sadly played a terrible part in all of this by sitting on it for almost 2 years.
I think the nine justices could have looked at his behavior on and up to Jan. 6 and by the Constitution ruled him ineligible for any more public office.
We all saw what he did. We can all read the words of Article 14, section three.
They could have applied that to him and his behavior.
I disagree with your suggestion Phil. This court actually MIGHT do something like that given their history of creating decisions for the right wing but I can't imagine them doing it to block trump and no matter who they did it for I believe it should be unconstitutional. The 14th amendment says clearly that anyone who committed insurrection could not hold office, but I do not think the Supreme Court would have the right on their own to declare that. Someone would need to file a charge of insurrection and the accused (trump) would have a right to a trial before you could consider him an insurrectionist. No insurrection charge has ever been filed so I can't see how the SCOTUS would be able to just "declare" it to be so. That isn't how our legal system is supposed to work.
DonтАЩt fully dismiss criticisms of some books. New Think accuses white people of privilege. And this is one reason so many run into the arms of a mad man. I get peed when IтАЩm accused of being privileged and there is some but not a lot of truth to it but if you keep hammering this, MAGA is the end result. Something to consider.
Changes in taxation policy on top level and corporated income, deregulation, had more to do with the growth in inequality than more STEM and technical and less humanities, I would say, Phil. Much, if not entirely, more.
Basically you are right,. I would like to add that Americans, and I am one, always want more than they can or do have. We do not know the meaning of contentment. Many can buy a small car but they choose the SUV and not just the standard SUV, the one with all the bells and whistles, then they complain that everything at the grocery store costs too much because they have taken that gigantic car payment because they are making a bit more, and the suppliers say we need to raise the prices of x, y, and z because we have to pay my workers a living wage. In America we generally live on credit. When we get over extended and can't pay our bills we complain about the economy and need someone to blame, and it is usually the President. Finally, we got a president that actually did something for everyone during an economic crisis and did everything right, rather than a president that did nothing at alll or only for the bankerl...and we complained he is too old and our cost of living is too high even though we have better pay or maybe our first job in a long time. We are chronic bellyachers. That is on us, just like our credit scores, and our mounting bills. I'm not saying there aren't poor people that need and deserve help, more then they are given, but let's focus on lifting their boats ..I'm not sure I agree with giving money for building homes or making babies ..too much "free" cash (clearly there is no such thing as free cash or a free lunch) for people to resist, you can't make them use the 6K to buy baby stuff unless you make them submit receipts for baby stuff, and good luck staying that organized. As for 25k to buy a house, builders will see the opportunity to jack up the prices, hardware and tools will go up, and some of it go to the realtors to compensate for the govt trying to keep them from gouging sellers and buyers at closing....I really doubt it will ultimately help reduce their mortgage, because in the end, like the SUV car payment, it is about the mortgage. Possibly we will end up just making those bankers we envy richer because people will be people and many are very greedy. How do we stop the greedy? Many people gringe at taking handouts and others take them gladly but most screem when the national debt grows? Sort of like being against contraception and against abortion. They are not compatible with the concept of individual freedom or each other for that matter. I get vertigo thinking about human nature.
People themselves cause most of their own financial problems. I listen to my kid whine about not being able to afford to go on a vacation that doesn't involve a tent. That same kid also wrestles with the problem that the affordable apartments are not in the best neighborhoods. That kid will probably never be able to handle a mortgage (remember 2008 subprime loans and how that turned out?) That same kid, has more brains than me, is now 40, and still won't go to college, because it is too much with work. It doesn't matter that I've explained to the said kid, that I bought my first little house in a very nice neighborhood at 40 but went on one vacation between the ages of 20 and 40. Most of the time I worked a lot more than 40 hrs a week to do that. It paid off for me. It cost more monthly than an apartment in a nice neighborhood but it paid off in equity. It was my dream and I earned it. It didn't come without going to college, or without foregoing fun stuff, and it didn't come at 3% interest, and it didn't come with govt subsides, and it didn't come by living outside of what I could really afford, but it did come.
I know way too many who spend themselves into crisis without much of a clue as to who did it. Unreal. True of people buying half million dollar houses, and being shocked at the upkeep. Of course, some companies screw the pooch when dealing with desperate customers, like car repairs.
I don't see "celebrity culture" as that important to people. I think the fact that a meal at McDonald's is at least $25 is why people believe the economy is bad.
All the "economic indicators" that are quoted by "experts" don't mean anything to most people. But the price jumps that people see every day are what are real and inflation going down is not bringing those prices down.
But prices aren't going up every day. That's a myth that is successfully being put forward by Trump and his MAGAs.
Trump had an opportunity to raise the Federal minimum wage which has been stuck at $7.25 an hour since 2009. Even at 2% inflation the minimum wage should be $9.75 an hour. And in 20 states (17 of them red) they REFUSE to raise their minimum wage.
Rosa... I would add to what you said, that most Americans have no idea how to manage money. I spent my career as an accountant. I found most of my clients were very impulsive when it came to spending money. They never felt like they spent too much, but usually felt they didn't make enough. One client, who always had money problems, told me he had gotten a new credit card. "The best thing" he said "is that you have to pay it off each month". I looked at him and said "you can pay all your credit cards off each month" He looked at me like... what a concept! I still see friends of mine prioritize spending money on things (like exotic vacations) rather than paying off/down their debt. Which they are constantly complaining about.
Sherry, sex education and financial education is absent in the US culture. Most people have to fail dismally and then look for that information themselves. After sorting through misinformation from friends, being drawn to financial scams and porn sites, you might land somewhere useful. Most don't get there with either subject. We can do better!!
@Rosa: "that general middle class Americans are not satisfied with the economy" is BS brought to you by the MSM to create the appearance of a horse race.
Here's what is effective: tell MAGATs they have to be crazy to vote for a deranged candidate.
"Celebrity culture:" Had I been the DNC operative that placed Obama in Pennsyltucky, my native land, I'd have equipped him m with a Terrible Towel.
I have come to believe that general middle class Americans are not satisfied with the economy because the measuring stick is celebrity culture and specifically how celebrities live. We are hypnotized into a world that does not exist for the vast majority of population but less than that and we've been cheated.
I think that is true but I am also so fed up with the double standard of how the MSM reports on Harris vs. Traamp and it was the same when Biden was still in the running. They poison the opinions of people and have normalized his horrible behavior.
I completely agree.
Sorry I disagree. We need the MSM because the people who we need to reach read our watch the MSM. They do not read Heather's column or any of the other liberal Substack pages that we Harros supporters read. Here we are preaching to the choir and by denigrating the MSM instead of trying to gain is support we really don't reach anyone we need.
Unless you count Fox and Newsmax as part of the MSM, the people you are talking about don't generally watch--never mind read--the MSM.
True but on the margins. Most who watch the MSM and legacy networks have already made up their minds.
SM and podcasts are where the most persuadibles live. Fortunately the Harris campaign gets it.
Kamala's alt-media blitz this week has been brilliant! I am so pleased with this tactic. It seems she has reached a few million citizens, while He-who-shall-not-be named dithers in public appearances.
Well-said, Mr. Rosen.
Still, over the last tumultuous decade, the MSM lost its way and is in the process of re-establishing its sea-legs тАФ while scrambling to figure out how to finance it. The news business is in crisis, one not experienced since the old тАЬyellow journalismтАЭ days. The industry needs to right itself, needs news consumersтАЩ help to find its way back: A robust democracy cannot exist without healthy, trusted news sources.
I am not saying they are not needed. What I am saying is that while the former president and his running mate spread lies, spread division, spread racism etc., the MSM doesn't really cover the gravity of their statements nor do they demand detailed plans from him. Instead they sane wash his statements and normalize his behaviors. I am just suggesting the same treatment.
I agree 100%. I only read here this s all group applauding each other to go out and vote as if it was going to make any significant impact. I was interested reaching out to go to eastern Pennsylvania to work on Election Day from CT but instead I will go to Washington for a few days including election day, to sit in front of the White House , perform my anti trump songs and sell my remaining supply of my book. Should be get in, IтАЩll order more books and have 4 more years to enlighten the blind.
That is why Pete goes on FOX a lot to reach people who only watch FOX.
Yes but Harris is the candidate. She needs to do it herself.
You don't need to be the candidate to have an interview. Pete represents the democratic point of view. It doesn't really manner who goes on FOX as long as our message is conveyed. Kamala did go on FOX for an interview not long ago.
MSM are not relevent in reaching potential Harris voters. She knows this and ignores them which pisses them off. Her alt media appearances were brilliant.
I also think that alt media reaches NOBODY who hasn't made up their mind already. Certainly less than .01%
I respectfully think you are VERY wrong here. If you are correct then there is nothing sensible to do. Until this week (when I think she did much better) she had completely ignored the MSM and that is where MOST of the undecided voters are. Writing those people off is tantamount to saying we don't need any more votes. And yet we absolutely do. I expect the money of undecided voters who read Heather is about .05% and most of those are people who might not vote for Harris because of her position on the Gaza War who aren't voting for Trump either. The ones we need to win in all the swing states definitely DO read the MSM.
What should we do to gain their support? They are going under anyway!
I agree, Collette, although I'm not sure about the "poisoning" unless you refer specifically to Faux News and not MSM in general.
There is an imbalance in how MSM covers the two candidates (and their running mates.) I gave up my NYT subscription months ago and told them exactly why (I received a lengthy response from them defending their coverage ) I still subscribe to the WaPo, but probably not for much longer. I support the Guardian and follow the BBC, and though I don't rely on NPR as much anymore, still read and listen occasionally. American legacy MSM in general has let us down, and I don't understand why, as it's clearly against their best long-term interests if Harris loses.
I think you hit the nail on the head: "long-term interests". Is anyone out there even discussing long-term repercussions? We are stuck in this horse race mentality and discussing polls. Who is even participating in these polls? I know I am not. I can't be bothered and don't want my data gathered.
Advertising dollars?
I am very surprised that you gave up on the NYT but kept the WaPo the latter of which I used to respect but no longer. They are far worse with their reporting than the Times, at least IMHO.
Jon, it was the opinion pieces by the NYT Editorial Board saying Biden should withdraw from the race due to age, without also saying trompy should due to, oh, I don't know тАФ age, incoherence, criminal record, keeping of official classified records, bribery, anti-democratic/authoritarian yearnings, etc. etc. I've enjoyed the NYT, beyond its news content тАФ the puzzles are the best; I love and subscribed to NYT Cooking, Wirecutter and more. Hated to give that up but that piece was the proverbial straw. WaPo subscription will be going after the election is over.
The NYT only took that position after Biden totally blew the first debate. It was not because of age, it was because he clearly had a serious cognitive problem or at least what looked like a cognitive problem during the debate. He was so confused it was incredibly disastrous. If he had not been chased or, we would not be in a razor close toss up, Biden would be wiped out by 10+ pts. I predicted that from watching him closely before the debate but hoped i was wrong. I don't know what would have been better, waiting as he did or dropping out much earlier. But that is water under the bridge, can't change it now.
Jon, the debate was a singularly catastrophic event, likely dooming his chances (of which I was more optimistic than you, at least prior to the debate. His SotU speech was Biden at his best.) In any event, my point was that the NYT should have at the same time called for both candidates to withdraw, given what we've known about the other guyтАЩs past legal and moral (and other) problems, but also his own cognitive issues which we've all been aware of for some time. And that's what I wrote the NYT: Use the same standards for both candidates, which they didn't do. Anyway, as you say, it's water... Cheers and hopes for a happy November!
Yes he melted down in front of the cameras and right on time, Trump took full advantage and said, тАЬI donтАЩt know what he just said.тАЭ Omg what a bad moment.
Colette, the biased stories about the economy continue, much to my frustration and some how reporters always find the guy on the street who back up the story.
The coverage of person on the street really is very imbalanced, even on NPR. I regularly send comments about this and find I have less trust in NPR now. I wonder if their corporate donors are the reason for this.
I don't know what NPR you are watching but the nightly PBS news has been extremely balanced. They have continually reported on the positive economic news and they have called trump out on his lies often. They have criticized Harris for not talking more to the MSM and i agree with that criticism.
Nightly News Hour is the best.
Yup and I have not seen much if any biased coverage there.
If you mean NPR as in radio, I don't listen to that just because I am not in a car much and rarely listen to radio.
I agree Rosa, our preoccupation with celebrity and wealth is unhealthy. Not everyone who loves to sing can or will become a rock star. and many who do aren't happy, if they were truly happy they wouldn't be consuming harmful chemicals to ease their emotional fear and pain.
Celebrity is a stressful, rocky world in any case. Cher put it aptly, You're only as good as your last performance... maybe oversimplified, given how often movie actors manage to work through less than stellar products
She also asked,
тАЬIf youтАЩre black in this country, if youтАЩre a woman in this country, if you are any minority in this country at all, what could possibly possess you to vote Republican?тАЭ
GirlтАЩs got her blinders off, no?
So very true Vermont Girl 57
I have wondered the same тАФ why Hispanics in particular would vote for someone who is so anti- immigrant. I have decided it must be because they are evangelical, and/or they are against new Hispanics or other immigrants coming in illegally.
Now Trump says he wants to deport legal immigrants.
I have my hand raised and waving violently. Deport Rupert Murdoch and his serial immigrant family and Elon Musk and his progeny as well. /S
Actually, which country would actually accept any of our deportees legal or illegal unless they were like Einstein (Melanie's Einstein visa excepted)?
If they don't have permission to land or for people to come ashore, what is the point.
Trump is in fantasyland if he thinks any country will take his castoffs even though most of them are excellent workers and generally good people.
best to remember 45s bedside reading of Mein Kampf..."the final solution."
Frank, there are at least 2 "stellar projects" completed & receiving pre-release screenings for Oscar consideration.
I don't have the U.S. release date but Kate Winslet's "LEE" is already getting raves. It's a bio about a famous female WWII photo journalist directed by a woman, ELLEN KURAS.
Update: The film was released in the U.K. & Island on 9/13/24. Apparently, streaming now on Apple TV. Well received at the Toronto Film Festival in Canada.
Counsellor, thanks for this. It just might be the ticket to getting my wife to finally let me get Apple TV.
My sister tells me the people in her office sign up for Netflix, Max, Apple, Paramount+, Disney, etc. when they are ready to stream several shows. And then they cancel after a month or two and go on to the next service.
I'm too lazy to do that, but hey, it's not illegal.
ЁЯНОЁЯСА
I heard a podcast on Lee and it was fascinating! I intend to read the book and see the movie.
Apparently, the movie script put Lee's entire life in context: wild, better ... then world class realism. Made for Kate Winslet.
The short answer is simpler. Taxation policy on top management levels and corporation taxation, read the Economic Policy Institute. For example, as I've already posted, https://www.epi.org/publication/ceo-pay-in-2023/
I notice that the solutions the EPI might be suggesting are kept well out of the light by the Harris - Walz ticket. For one very good reason, I suspect: the emotionally laden charge of "socialism" ... it's already been thrown at the dems like a meat pie. Heather is so right when she suggests the electorate overall has internalized fears against a redistribution of wealth back into the hands of the broad middle and lower income earning classes. That of course will simply redefine demand, and businesses will continue to prosper.
Harris-Walz ticket.
fixed, thanks. Dont know if writing at 4am had something to do with that.
Our "educated," Rose, have zero education in anything that reports on "the vast majority."
The novels, histories, memoirs, films, and songs are there -- many super fine. But it was always first goal of the Powell memo (1971) to kill humanities in American ed. School would never again relate to anything personal for anyone across the land.
Rather, our "educated" would all speak wonk. Numbers. Stats. Life as nothing more than units in the packaged forms of commerce which our nihilist rich would master, own, they forever after all on the safe side of the ever-growing wealth gap from where the masses and "less-educated" who lost their jobs to the offshoring would forever be consigned.
The war on education continues Phil. DeSantis is leading the charge by rewriting textbooks to allow for learning how to read and write and nothing about our history or critical thinking. Banning books must start with the Bible which is full of hate and vengeance. In our house, we love banned books. My daughter and wife used to read them together and now my wife and I listen to them.
I'm not sure if this is true, but I heard the other day the Trump Bible, which he's hawked as containing the US Constitution only includes the first 13 amendments. WTF point is there in doing that unless the Christian Nationalists had a hand in this.
So you are advocating banning the Bible? I ask with all due respect is this serious or facetious? I honestly can't tell from the tone of your post.
As an atheist, I personally find the Bible totally irrelevant but I am more opposed to censorship in almost every form.
To paraphrase "I may find what you read to be offensive, but I will defend to the death your right to read it."
Jon, I am against banning books. I am also against having religion force-fed to me, and to any children attending public school. As a non-theist, I also find the Bible irrelevant to me, but I must know about it because it drives so many people to do what they do. That two different someones can condemn gays or welcome them based on what they read in it leads me to believe that it is all about interpretation, thus making it more like fiction or poetry than the word of "God" as scribed by men.
Thank you, Ally House. As a Christian, I think you've expressed this perfectly. Your last phrase says it all - "as scribed by men". I've believed for decades that once humans were introduced into the equation, it became all about interpretation.
When we talk of the Bible, which Bible are we talking about? The King James version? The original Hebrew and Aramaic of the Tanach (not the Old Testament, at least not to Jews)? The original Hebrew, Aramaic, and Koine Greek of the Christian Bible? The myriad translations, all with their subtle points of view and sometimes not so subtle agendas? I am learning to chant from the Torah, and when we look at the translations and at the original Hebrew and Aramaic, it's an interesting process to figure out what's going on. A lot of what fundamentalists thunder about as the word of God is based on a misunderstanding of the original.
Exactly
Well put Ally.
To me, the Bible is more like mythology with stories handed down by word of mouth until someone wrote them down. Many of the stories are similar to Greek, Roman and Norse mythology. Almost every civilization has a giant flood story and so on. They may all be true or they may all be exaggerations. But we've all heard many of them.
I've worked with many Indians that practice Hinduism. Their stories seem rather fantastic, but if you've heard them since you were little, they probably seem as real as the Bible stories I was told as long as I remember.
Humans love stories and the Bible has some good ones, but it also contains a lot of garbage in my opinion.
Ally i agree with you 100%
No, I'm not advocating banning the Bible or any books.
We probably have a dozen Bibles in our house and I have read the Bible cover to cover more than once. And I am a non-theist.
I am also opposed to allowing white Christian Nationaliststs from editing text books or curriculum.
One of the most influential books for me was one of the most banned books of all time - Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse 5. By banning this book, it has likely driven millions of people to read it which is obviously an unintended consequence of book banning.
Would I like to see Trump and his MAGA friends censored? Sure. But, to what end? Assuming he loses the election, the media will still report on his incoherent and looney ramblings because they are greedy bastards.
I like to believe I live my life according to the teachings of Jesus Christ because I feel his values and morals align more with mine. But many other characters in the Bible, like Paul are misogynistic and believe that women are basically the property of men. In other words, they are patriarchal.
Long answer to your question, but NO I am against censorship in all forms.
Thanks Gary for the clarification. I expect we are pretty much in agreement.
Good point, Jon
Your comment that the bible is "full of hate and vengeance" and the replies, tell me that the bible and probably other religious texts are sadly misrepresented in popular culture.
There were classes in the bible as literature when I was in college, but I suppose that didn't happen in much of the country. It certainly should have been part of a real understanding of critical thinking.
"The Bible" does not really exist as most of this discussion posits it. There is no one, authoritative version of the Jewish and Christian sacraments. There is no "original" version; paper doesn't last that long. But most importantly the writings of the bible are a collection, not a book. A collection that was chosen by committee and then revised by committee a few hundred years later. A collection that was hand copied with comments and "corrections" added for centuries before printing was developed.
To read any version of the bible today as you would read a modern book is ridiculous if not criminal.
If you will read the book of Genesis, you can easily see that there are two different creation stories crammed together there. Both were considered too important to leave out, so they just put them both in. Genesis 1 tells one story and Genesis 2 tells a different story.
It's like a giant game of "telephone" , from many oral transmissions to many written transmissions, to translations to codification to more translations, etc.
Maybe an artifact of having been printed in China?
That's very funny, Gary.
The 14th Amendment, section three, specifically calls for the removal from ballots for public office of any insurrectionists. That would obviously include the fat orange felon.
Too bad (for us) that the Clarence court refuses to abide by the Constitution, but only promotes its medieval lunacies instead.
Phil trump had not even been legally accused of insurrection let alone convicted of it. Until then I don't believe the 14th amendment even applies. Is this a miscarriage? IMHO absolutely but in practice neither my opinions nor yours matter to the law. Even Lawrence Tribe's opinions don't matter. The only thing that matters is actual charges brought and actual verdicts. That's why I think Merrick Garland sadly played a terrible part in all of this by sitting on it for almost 2 years.
Sad, Jon.
I think the nine justices could have looked at his behavior on and up to Jan. 6 and by the Constitution ruled him ineligible for any more public office.
We all saw what he did. We can all read the words of Article 14, section three.
They could have applied that to him and his behavior.
Should have.
I disagree with your suggestion Phil. This court actually MIGHT do something like that given their history of creating decisions for the right wing but I can't imagine them doing it to block trump and no matter who they did it for I believe it should be unconstitutional. The 14th amendment says clearly that anyone who committed insurrection could not hold office, but I do not think the Supreme Court would have the right on their own to declare that. Someone would need to file a charge of insurrection and the accused (trump) would have a right to a trial before you could consider him an insurrectionist. No insurrection charge has ever been filed so I can't see how the SCOTUS would be able to just "declare" it to be so. That isn't how our legal system is supposed to work.
DonтАЩt fully dismiss criticisms of some books. New Think accuses white people of privilege. And this is one reason so many run into the arms of a mad man. I get peed when IтАЩm accused of being privileged and there is some but not a lot of truth to it but if you keep hammering this, MAGA is the end result. Something to consider.
Changes in taxation policy on top level and corporated income, deregulation, had more to do with the growth in inequality than more STEM and technical and less humanities, I would say, Phil. Much, if not entirely, more.
Indeed!
Basically you are right,. I would like to add that Americans, and I am one, always want more than they can or do have. We do not know the meaning of contentment. Many can buy a small car but they choose the SUV and not just the standard SUV, the one with all the bells and whistles, then they complain that everything at the grocery store costs too much because they have taken that gigantic car payment because they are making a bit more, and the suppliers say we need to raise the prices of x, y, and z because we have to pay my workers a living wage. In America we generally live on credit. When we get over extended and can't pay our bills we complain about the economy and need someone to blame, and it is usually the President. Finally, we got a president that actually did something for everyone during an economic crisis and did everything right, rather than a president that did nothing at alll or only for the bankerl...and we complained he is too old and our cost of living is too high even though we have better pay or maybe our first job in a long time. We are chronic bellyachers. That is on us, just like our credit scores, and our mounting bills. I'm not saying there aren't poor people that need and deserve help, more then they are given, but let's focus on lifting their boats ..I'm not sure I agree with giving money for building homes or making babies ..too much "free" cash (clearly there is no such thing as free cash or a free lunch) for people to resist, you can't make them use the 6K to buy baby stuff unless you make them submit receipts for baby stuff, and good luck staying that organized. As for 25k to buy a house, builders will see the opportunity to jack up the prices, hardware and tools will go up, and some of it go to the realtors to compensate for the govt trying to keep them from gouging sellers and buyers at closing....I really doubt it will ultimately help reduce their mortgage, because in the end, like the SUV car payment, it is about the mortgage. Possibly we will end up just making those bankers we envy richer because people will be people and many are very greedy. How do we stop the greedy? Many people gringe at taking handouts and others take them gladly but most screem when the national debt grows? Sort of like being against contraception and against abortion. They are not compatible with the concept of individual freedom or each other for that matter. I get vertigo thinking about human nature.
People themselves cause most of their own financial problems. I listen to my kid whine about not being able to afford to go on a vacation that doesn't involve a tent. That same kid also wrestles with the problem that the affordable apartments are not in the best neighborhoods. That kid will probably never be able to handle a mortgage (remember 2008 subprime loans and how that turned out?) That same kid, has more brains than me, is now 40, and still won't go to college, because it is too much with work. It doesn't matter that I've explained to the said kid, that I bought my first little house in a very nice neighborhood at 40 but went on one vacation between the ages of 20 and 40. Most of the time I worked a lot more than 40 hrs a week to do that. It paid off for me. It cost more monthly than an apartment in a nice neighborhood but it paid off in equity. It was my dream and I earned it. It didn't come without going to college, or without foregoing fun stuff, and it didn't come at 3% interest, and it didn't come with govt subsides, and it didn't come by living outside of what I could really afford, but it did come.
I know way too many who spend themselves into crisis without much of a clue as to who did it. Unreal. True of people buying half million dollar houses, and being shocked at the upkeep. Of course, some companies screw the pooch when dealing with desperate customers, like car repairs.
The fact that so many celebrities now are people of color has to infuriate the Magats.
I don't see "celebrity culture" as that important to people. I think the fact that a meal at McDonald's is at least $25 is why people believe the economy is bad.
All the "economic indicators" that are quoted by "experts" don't mean anything to most people. But the price jumps that people see every day are what are real and inflation going down is not bringing those prices down.
But prices aren't going up every day. That's a myth that is successfully being put forward by Trump and his MAGAs.
Trump had an opportunity to raise the Federal minimum wage which has been stuck at $7.25 an hour since 2009. Even at 2% inflation the minimum wage should be $9.75 an hour. And in 20 states (17 of them red) they REFUSE to raise their minimum wage.
Rosa... I would add to what you said, that most Americans have no idea how to manage money. I spent my career as an accountant. I found most of my clients were very impulsive when it came to spending money. They never felt like they spent too much, but usually felt they didn't make enough. One client, who always had money problems, told me he had gotten a new credit card. "The best thing" he said "is that you have to pay it off each month". I looked at him and said "you can pay all your credit cards off each month" He looked at me like... what a concept! I still see friends of mine prioritize spending money on things (like exotic vacations) rather than paying off/down their debt. Which they are constantly complaining about.
Sherry, sex education and financial education is absent in the US culture. Most people have to fail dismally and then look for that information themselves. After sorting through misinformation from friends, being drawn to financial scams and porn sites, you might land somewhere useful. Most don't get there with either subject. We can do better!!
Yes, itтАЩs the тАЬAmerican DreamтАЭ myth.
@Rosa: "that general middle class Americans are not satisfied with the economy" is BS brought to you by the MSM to create the appearance of a horse race.
Here's what is effective: tell MAGATs they have to be crazy to vote for a deranged candidate.
"Celebrity culture:" Had I been the DNC operative that placed Obama in Pennsyltucky, my native land, I'd have equipped him m with a Terrible Towel.